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United States Patent |
5,578,803
|
Andersson
,   et al.
|
November 26, 1996
|
Control module containing logic controls for electric window operation
in motor vehicles
Abstract
A control module (1) for servo assisted window operation in motor vehicles
comprises a number of individual controls (2a-2d) for the respective side
windows and also other controls (3, 4, 5) for actuating the locking out of
rear seat controls for rear side windows, the release of jamming
protection and the roof hatch servo. The control module (1) is preferably
intended for placing on a central console (16) between the vehicle's front
seats for easy access by the driver. Each individual control (2a-2d) for
the respective side windows not only has an asymmetry of shape pointing
towards the respective window but is also designed with first and second
operating surfaces (12 and 13 respectively) which made it possible to
press the control downwards towards and lift it upwards away from a
horizontal baseplate (6) of the control module (1) so as to permit logical
actuation of the controls (2a-2d) with respect to the movement of the
windows. This makes it easy for the driver to identify the right control
and operate it in the right direction without taking his eyes off the
roadway.
Inventors:
|
Andersson; Siv (Trollhattan, SE);
Bogren; Helen (Trollhattan, SE)
|
Assignee:
|
Saab Automobile Aktiebolag (SE)
|
Appl. No.:
|
464651 |
Filed:
|
June 21, 1995 |
PCT Filed:
|
February 10, 1994
|
PCT NO:
|
PCT/SE94/00107
|
371 Date:
|
June 21, 1995
|
102(e) Date:
|
June 21, 1995
|
PCT PUB.NO.:
|
WO94/18684 |
PCT PUB. Date:
|
August 18, 1994 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
200/5R; 200/6R |
Intern'l Class: |
H01H 009/00 |
Field of Search: |
200/5 R,6 R,11 R,339,52 R
180/333
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4180713 | Dec., 1979 | Gonzales | 200/52.
|
4394546 | Jul., 1983 | Harumatsu | 200/5.
|
4611102 | Sep., 1986 | Ishida | 200/5.
|
4644110 | Feb., 1987 | Watanabe et al. | 200/5.
|
4701629 | Oct., 1987 | Citroen | 200/52.
|
4857677 | Aug., 1989 | Tanaka et al. | 200/5.
|
5149924 | Sep., 1992 | Priesemuth | 200/5.
|
5286078 | Feb., 1994 | Mottino et al. | 200/5.
|
5331260 | Jul., 1994 | Ahmed | 200/5.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
9010558 | Sep., 1990 | WO.
| |
Primary Examiner: Scott; J. R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Claims
We claim:
1. A control module for servo assisted window operation in a motor vehicle
having at least one front and one rear openable side windows, the control
module comprising:
a base plate to be positioned in the vehicle,
a respective actuator for each of the openable side windows, each actuator
controlling a switching function which controls operation of the
respective window, the actuators being positioned on the base plate in
respective positions that are related to the respective windows which the
actuators actuate;
each actuator having a respective first operating surface; for the front
side window, the first operating surface sloping obliquely upward from the
base plate in the forward direction relative to the base plate; for the
rear side window, the first operating surface sloping obliquely upward in
the rearward direction relative to the base plate;
a second operating surface formed respectively on each actuator at least
partly beneath that portion of the first operating surface of the actuator
which is spaced furthest from the base plate so as to enable finger
pressure to be applied on the second operating surface;
whereby finger pressure on the first operating surface depresses the
respective actuator for moving the window in one direction while lifting
of the second operating surface lifts the actuator for moving the window
in the opposite direction.
2. The control module of claim 1, wherein each actuator is so arranged that
finger pressure on the respective first operating surface depresses the
actuator for corresponding opening of the respective window while finger
pressure on the respective second operating surface lifts the actuator for
corresponding closing of the respective window.
3. The control module of claim 2, wherein the front actuator is toward the
front of the base plate and the rear actuator is toward the rear of the
base plate positioned in the vehicle.
4. The control module of claim 3, being so positioned in the vehicle as to
be situated on a central console between the front seats of the vehicle
and at least substantially at a height corresponding to the level of the
surface of the driver's seat in the vehicle.
5. The control module of claim 3, wherein the vehicle has a respective one
of the front and rear openable side windows on each of the opposite sides
of the vehicle and there is a respective one of the actuators on the base
plate for each of the windows, the actuators being placed in a pattern on
the base plate corresponding to the positions in the vehicle of the
respective windows which each actuator actuates.
6. The control module of claim 5 wherein the actuators are arranged in a
rectangular array, with the four actuators for the two front and rear
windows being at the corners of the rectangle on the base plate.
7. The control module of claim 6, wherein the base plate is so shaped and
oriented and the actuators are so placed on the base plate that each of
the corners of the rectangle formed by the actuators are adapted to
generally point toward the respective window operated by the actuator.
8. The control module of claim 7, wherein the first operating surface of
each of the actuators has edges all around it and has a corner-with a
different, shape than the other edges defining the first operating
surface, and that corner forms one corner of the rectangular array defined
by the actuators.
9. The control module of claim 8, wherein the corner of each of the
actuators is in the form of an extreme rounding generally in the plane of
the actuator and with a radius of between 0.5 and 2 cm.
10. The control module of claim 6, wherein the first operating surface of
each of the actuators has a corner with a different shape than the other
edges defined in the first operating surface.
11. The control module of claim 6, wherein each of the actuators comprises
a toggle switch, including a fulcrum pin lying in a plane parallel to the
control module base plate and a switch element supported for pivoting
around the fulcrum pin.
12. The control module of claim 11, wherein the fulcrum pin is oriented
transversely to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a normal
mounting of the base plate in the vehicle.
13. The control module of claim 12, wherein the toggle switch element and
the first operating surface thereof are so positioned with respect to the
fulcrum pin that the pin is disposed so as to support the actuator under a
central portion of the first operating surface.
14. A control module for servo assisted window operation in a motor vehicle
having one front and one rear openable side window on the left and right
sides of the vehicle, the control module comprising:
a base plate to be positioned in the vehicle,
a respective actuator for each of the four openable side windows, each
actuator controlling a switching function which controls operation of the
respective window with the actuators being positioned on the base plate in
respective positions related to the respective windows of which the
actuators actuate and the actuators being in a rectangular array;
the base plate being so shaped and oriented and the actuators being so
placed on the base plate that the corners of the rectangle formed by the
actuators point toward the respective windows operated by each of the
actuators;
each actuator having a respective individual asymmetry of shape so that it
points toward the respective window which the actuator is to control;
each actuator having a first finger application location for operating the
actuator toward the base plate and having a second finger application
location for operating the actuator upward away from the base plate.
15. The control module of claim 14, wherein each actuator has a respective
operating surface with a respective asymmetry which comprises a respective
slope of the first operating surface for the first finger application
location on the actuator for pointing toward the respective window which
the actuator controls; the first operating surface having edge contours
around it, and that portion of the edge contour of the first operating
surface that forms the respective corner of the rectangle that is defined
by the actuators on the base plate has a different shape edge contour than
the other edge contours of the first operating surface.
16. The control module of claim 15, wherein the portion of the edge contour
forming a corner of the rectangle is in the form of an extreme rounding
generally in the plane of the first operating surface and having a radius
of between 0.5 and 2 cm.
17. The control module of claim 16, wherein on opposite sides of a line
which divides the control module actuators into two groups of actuators,
the actuators on opposite sides of the dividing line are mirror images of
one another with respect to their shapes and orientations.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention refers to a control module for controlling electric
windows wherein there is a respective actuator for each window and
concerns particulars of the actuators and their arrangement.
In motor vehicles, endeavors are made to give the controls for various
facilities a logical layout and control function so that the driver,
without taking his eyes off the roadway, can find the controls and achieve
the desired control function. Increased traffic safety is thereby
achieved, since the driver has no need to look at the controls in order to
identify the right control and the right direction of operation of the
control. Operating the wrong control and thereby activating a piece of
equipment or window other than that which the driver intended causes
irritation which can affect traffic safety.
To this end, a practice previously known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,390 is to
design the seat adjustment controls so that they resemble the seat
adjusted in shape, and the various control segments have a direction of
control movement corresponding to the seat adjustment. This makes it
possible to identify by fingers, for example the control segment
corresponding to the seat level and to press it down in order to achieve a
corresponding lowering of the seat level.
A variant on this aspect of seat adjustment is known from U.S. Pat. No.
4,473,724, which also depicts a control module for windows. The control
module for windows is designed such that a cluster or recess disposed in
the vehicle includes two opposing vertical surfaces which are disposed in
the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and correspond to its sides,
where the controls are positioned on the surfaces corresponding to the
positions of the side windows in the vehicle. This arrangement does
however require a relatively large space for the control module. Another
problem is that controls and control modules have as far as possible to be
placed close together because available space is limited and because not
all the free surfaces around the driver should be cluttered up with
different control modules. Central consoles, for example, contain a
multiplicity of other equipment which has likewise to be accommodated,
such as ignition switch, hand brake, storage surfaces, and pockets etc.
A vehicle model sold in Sweden under the designation MAZDA 626 has on its
central console a side window control module which utilises toggle
switches disposed on an axis running in the longitudinal direction of the
vehicle, with reversed control logic for the left and right side windows
respectively. The window controls are grouped relatively close together in
the corners of an imaginary rectangle in the horizontal plane on the
central console so that the controls situated to the left of the vehicle
centerline control the left side windows and the controls situated to the
right of the vehicle centerline control the right side windows. Each
window is raised by pressing the respective control down at its end
situated furthest from the vehicle centerline and is lowered by pressing
down the portion of the toggle switch which is situated closest to the
vehicle centerline. This control module involves no logical control
movements for closing/raising the windows, since the controls have to be
pressed down to make the windows rise. Nor can the right control be
identified unless the driver feels the whole or parts of the control
module in addition to the control desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has the object of making possible a control module
for servo assisted window operation in motor vehicles where the driver can
open two windows on each side of the vehicle, a front one and a rear one,
by operating controls disposed together in a horizontal plane which all
provide logical control with regard to the control movements applied to
the windows, and whereby each individual control has an individual shape
which gives a direction indication with respect to the window controlled
and is readily identifiable with one finger, thereby making it easier for
the driver to find the right control and the right direction of operation
without taking his eyes off the roadway.
A further object is that each individual control has a shape which is
unique to it, thereby enabling the driver to reliably identify whether his
finger is applied to the right control without having to feel other
controls or the surroundings of the control module.
In accordance with the principal common object, the invention achieves this
object through the features that each window actuator has a sloping
orientation enabling its operation by pressing from above or lifting from
below, and that the actuators either are directed toward their respective
windows or are edge contoured toward their windows. Where there are four
actuators for the front and rear side windows, they are arranged in a
rectangular array. The actuators may be in the form of toggle switches
that pivot toward and away from the base plate on which the switches are
disposed.
Further features distinguishing the invention emerge from the ensuing
description exemplifying a number of embodiments in accordance with the
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
FIG. 1 shows a side view of a control module disposed in the longitudinal
direction of a vehicle,
FIG. 2 shows a view as seen from above in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 shows a view as seen from the left in FIG. 1,
FIG. 4a shows a first alternative embodiment of the control module as seen
in section from above,
FIG. 4b shows a view along the section A--A in FIG. 4a,
FIG. 5a shows another alternative embodiment of the control module as seen
from above,
FIG. 5b shows a view as seen from below in FIG. 5a,
FIG. 6a shows a third alternative embodiment of the control module as seen
from above,
FIG. 6b shows a view as seen from below in FIG. 6a.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT EXAMPLES
FIG. 1 depicts a control module 1 which is intended for fitting to a
central console 16 between the front seats of a motor vehicle.
The control module 1 is preassembled as a unit and is intended to be pushed
firmly into a recess provided in the central console 16. Once the control
module has been fitted into the recess, an edge 10 of the module 1 is
level with the upper surface of the central console 16, and the resilient
locking catches 8 engage beneath the edges of the recess.
The control module consists of a baseplate 6 on which all the controls are
situated, and a housing 7 which is accommodated in the recess provided in
the central console 16 and houses all the electrical contacts which are
operated by the controls. There is electrical connection to the respective
servomotors via the connection pins 9.
The control module 1 is fitted so that the arrow F points towards the front
of the vehicle and the baseplate 6 of the module is horizontal.
It is advantageous for the control module 1 to be fitted so as no be
situated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle just forward of the
driver's shoulder and in the vertical direction mainly at the level of or
just below the driving seat surface. This structure arrangement makes it
easy for the driver to reach the control module 1 by stretching his hand
downwards between the front seats.
All the controls required for the vehicle's servo assisted openable windows
and its servo assisted roof hatch, if there is one, are situated on the
control module 1.
The control 5 operates the skylight servo. In the case of a conventional
skylight opened by the roof hatch sliding rearwards for opening and
forwards for closing, a rearward movement of the control 5 causes a
rearward opening movement of the roof hatch, and a forward movement of the
control 5 results in a forward closing movement of the roof hatch. The
control movements of the control 5 are thus logical with respect to the
direction of movement of the roof hatch.
The control 5 has preferably a different design from the other controls, in
which case it is advantageous for its shape to be as shown in FIG. 1. This
shape gives a clear direction indication upwards towards the roof hatch.
The controls 2a, 2b, 2c and are situated in the respective corners of a
rectangle formed in the baseplate and individually control the front left,
front right, rear right, and rear left side windows respectively.
The controls 2a-2d take the form of toggle switches mounted on fulcrum pins
11 which are disposed transversely to the longitudinal direction of the
vehicle and to the control module housing 7 under a central portion of the
first operating surface 12 of the respective control.
It is usual conventional practice that the rear side windows can also be
controlled by a second control (not shown) situated on the rear doors, or
just below the rear side windows, so as to be readily accessible to rear
seat passengers. Since in certain cases it may be desired to disconnect
the operability of these controls, e.g. when there are children on the
rear seat, the control module is provided with a lock-out button 3
controlling their operability.
The servomotors, most commonly electric motors, for the side windows are
also provided with jamming protection, which is preferably designed such
that when the current to the motors becomes too great they are switched
off. Increased current may be due to something having become jammed
between the window and the door frame while the window was closing, e.g. a
finger, an arm or a head. In certain cases the jamming protection may be
triggered, e.g. by ice forming on the window or if the window
opening/closing mechanism sticks, without there being any actual danger to
persons. To cater for this there is a control 4 for disconnecting the
jamming protection. It is advantageous for the control 4 to be a
monostable toggle switch mounted on a fulcrum pin 11. This control is
resiliently operable from its neutral position at which the jamming
protection is activated. Accordingly, the jamming protection can only be
disconnected by operating the control 4 at the same time as operating the
respective window control 2a-2d or the roof hatch control 5. The control 4
can be used to disconnect the jamming protection by pressing its front or
rear portion as seen in the vehicle's forward direction F.
To enable the driver, quickly and without looking at the controls, to
identify which side windows the respective controls 2a-2d operate, each
control 2a-2d is provided with individual asymmetry of shape pointing
towards the respective window. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-3 the
differences in shape are twofold. The fact that the controls 2a-2d have a
first operating surface 12 which slopes obliquely upwards and forwards
relative to the control module baseplate 6 in the case of the actuators
2a, 2b of the front openable windows and obliquely upwards and rearwards
in the case of the actuators 2c, 2d of the rear openable windows provides
a shape indication of whether each control operates a front or a rear
window.
The fact that the otherwise rectangular contour of each control has at one
corner a deviant considerable rounding 15 which points towards the window
operated by the control in question provides a further shape indication of
control function pertaining to right or left side windows. It is
advantageous for the rounding to have a radius of between 0.5 and 3
centimeters and preferably a radius exceeding ten times the radius of the
other corners of the control on the edge contour of the first operating
surface 12.
The driver can thus quickly feel whether his finger has found the right
control.
For the respective side window controls 2a-2d to have logical control of
the respective side windows, the former are provided with a second
operating surface 13 situated at least partly under the portion of the
first operating surface 12 of the actuators 2a-2d, and at the part of the
first operating surface 12 situated at the greatest distance from the
baseplate 6. It is advantageous for the second operating surface 13 to
take the form of a recess which is situated on the end surface of the
toggle switch and in which recess the driver can insert a finger. After
inserting his finger the driver can then pull the toggle switch 2a-2d
upwards so that it rotates about the respective fulcrum pin 11. Applying
finger pressure to press down the first operating surface 12 causes
instead an opposite rotation of the respective control 2a-2d.
Actuation of the controls shown in FIG. 1, which depicts them in the
respective neutral position, i.e. the non servo operating position, by
pressing the first or the second operating surface is opposed by spring
loading which makes the control revert to the neutral position shown in
FIG. 1 once actuation has ceased.
The embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-3 constitutes a control module with
controls placed close together in which each individual control for each
individual window or roof hatch is easy to identify in itself without the
driver having to feel the whole or parts of the control module. At the
same time, the controls afford with respect to operating the side windows,
and the roof hatch, a logical correspondence in the control operating
direction.
Since the controls 2a-2d in FIGS. 1-3 take the form of toggle switches
mounted on a pin 11 at the centre of each toggle switch, it is also
possible for window raising to be achieved by depressing the rear end of
the front side window controls 2a-2b or the front end of the rear side
window controls 2c-2d. This can be utilised when the driver becomes more
experienced with the controls or if simultaneous activation of the jamming
protection release control 4 is required. In an alternative embodiment
(not illustrated) the toggle switches for the side windows may be mounted
on a fulcrum pin situated just under the portion of the first operating
surface which is nearest to the baseplate 6, i.e. the rear end in the case
of the front window controls and the front end in the case of the rear
window controls. Such an embodiment eliminates the possibility of also
being able to raise a window by depressing part of a control.
Permanent dividers 17 protruding from the baseplate 6 are preferably placed
between the controls 2a, 2b for the front windows and between the controls
2c, 2d for the rear windows. The dividers 17 are so designed that the
controls 2a-2d and their pins 11 are relieved of load if too great
force/weight is imposed on the controls 2a-2d, as may for example occur
when a child trying to climb onto the vehicle's front seat puts a foot on
the central console and the control module fitted to it.
FIGS. 4a-4b illustrate schematically a first alternative arrangement of
controls for side windows. In this case the controls 22a-22d take the form
of simple push-buttons which may be pressed down by pressure on a first
operating surface 23 but may also be pulled up from the baseplate 25 by
pressure on a second operating surface 24 which is partly situated beneath
the first operating surface 23. The operation of side windows by using
this embodiment corresponds to that achieved by the embodiment depicted in
FIGS. 1-3. As in FIG. 1, the controls are so disposed as to be situated in
the corners of an imaginary rectangle and preferably have a twofold
asymmetry of shape to indicate direction.
The edge contour 27 on the respective controls 22a-22d which form the
corners of the imaginary rectangle have a deviant rounding corresponding
to the embodiment in FIG. 1. The controls may also have an individual
shape of the slope of the first operating surface 23 relative to the
horizontal plane or the baseplate 25. This operating surface may slope
from inside the imaginary rectangle upwards and outwards towards the
rounded edge contour 27. Actuation of the respective servo control may be
by conventional contacts 26 and 26' as schematically illustrated in FIG.
4b.
FIGS. 5a-5b illustrate schematically a second alternative arrangement of
controls for side windows. In this case the controls 32a-32b take the form
of planar elongated arms which slope relative to the control module
baseplate 36 obliquely upwards towards F in the case of the actuators 32a,
32b for the front openable windows and obliquely upwards rearwards in the
case of the actuators 32c, 32d for the rear openable windows, preferably
forming an angle of approximately 45 degrees with the baseplate 36. The
fact that the control arms 32a-32d take the form of toggle switches
mounted on fulcrum pins 35 which are disposed transversely to the
longitudinal direction of the vehicle means that the controls can open or
lower the windows when a first operating surface 33 is pressed down in the
direction O (open) and close or raise the windows on being pulled upwards
by a finger applied to a second operating surface 34 in the direction C
(close). The directional identification of the right and left sides is
achieved in a manner corresponding to the embodiments in FIGS. 1-4b
whereby the edge contour 37 on the respective controls 32a-32d which form
the corners of the imaginary rectangle formed by the control arms has a
corresponding deviant rounding.
FIGS. 6a-6b illustrate schematically a third alternative arrangement of
controls for side windows. In this case the control arms only deviate from
the arrangement depicted in FIGS. 5a-5b in that the arms 42a-42d are set
obliquely so as to point directly towards the respective windows. This
means that the deviant roundings can be eliminated. In other respects the
first operating surfaces 43, the second operating surfaces 44, the fulcrum
pins 45 and the baseplate 46 conform to the corresponding parts in FIGS.
5a-5b.
All the alternative embodiments in FIGS. 4a-6b thus likewise incorporate an
individual, preferably twofold, asymmetry of shape which points towards
and thereby indentifies the window operated by the respective control,
which has a first finger application location for making the actuator
operate downwards towards the baseplate, and the respective actuator has a
second finger application location for operating the control upwards away
from the baseplate. This makes it easy for the finger to identify each
control and provides logical operation of the side windows by the
controls.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments exemplified in the above
description but may also be utilised within the scope of the accompanying
claims in a multiplicity of different modified embodiments. Such an
embodiment may, for example, be a modification of the embodiments
illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and 5a-6b such that the toggle switches have
fulcrum pins which run in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. All
the embodiments described in the drawings and the abovementioned
modifications fall within the objects of the invention (presented in more
detail under "Summary of the invention") and within the scope of one or
more of the claims.
Nor is the invention limited to a control module which is placed on a
central console, since it may also be employed fitted to the side of a
door, in which case it is advantageous for it to be fitted to a horizontal
surface on an armrest integrated with the side of the door.
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